My summer job through high school and college was catering. My mom, my two sisters and I created Irene’s Custom Cakes and Catering. We served everything from candlelight dinners for two to buffet style picnics for several hundred. Here’s a shot of my mom, Irene (right), and my sister Lois, otherwise known as Alfie.
We served a lot of food over the years, but our chicken dinner was by far the most requested menu. Since the catering business has long since closed its doors, I can now reveal to you the family secret recipe for quite possibly the tastiest chicken you’ve ever eaten. This chicken is browned off on the stove top before being finished in the oven to moist and tender perfection.
Here’s our special spice blend, affectionately known as:
Alfie’s Chicken Sh*t
Makes enough for one whole chicken
3/4 cup flour (you could probably use coconut flour or almond flour to make this gluten free, but I haven’t tried that yet)
1 teaspoon season salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
pinch thyme
pinch poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in a gallon baggie or bowl and use to coat chicken.
How to cook the chicken
First, rinse your chicken well and cut your chicken into pieces for frying. If you don’t know how to do this, this video provides a great step by step tutorial for how to cut up a chicken.
Don’t forget to tuck the wing tips in before frying to help them cook evenly.
Preheat your oven to 350F, and prepare a medium roasting pan by placing a stalk or two of roughly chopped celery and a little water in the bottom.
Place about 1 inch of frying oil (I prefer refined coconut oil, lard or schmaltz) in a large skillet and heat to around 350-375 degrees. I never use a thermometer. I just set my burner to medium heat and keep an eye on it. When the oil melts, you’re getting closer. When you can flick a few drops of water into the fat and get a nice “sizzle”, it’s ready. Smoke is bad – too hot. Instantaneous vaporization of liquid equals too hot. No sizzle equals too cold. I usually get the oil heating while I prep the chicken.
As the oil heats, coat your chicken in the seasoning mixture, either by shaking it in the gallon bag or dredging it in a bowl. Shake off excess flour. I like to keep one hand messy and one hand clean. For example, I grab and dredge the chicken with my right hand and work the tongs with my left. Work from left to right or right to left, whichever is easiest for you in your kitchen, so you’re not crossing back and forth through your work area. I dredge right, fry center, and place finished pieces in pan on left.
Place piece skin side down in the hot oil.
You can see there’s some nice bubbling action as the chicken fries. You want the oil hot enough so it cooks without absorbing excess oil, but not so hot that it burns. As more solids accumulate in the bottom of the pan, the pieces will brown more quickly. You’re going for a light, golden brown color.
When the first side is nicely browned, flip over and repeat on other side.
Placed browned pieces into roasting pan. Continue process until all pieces are browned.
Cover and roast in oven for one to one and half hours. Chicken should be tender enough to fall easily from the bone.
And there you have it! Moist, tender baked chicken just like my momma used to make. Do you have a favorite chicken recipe? Please add a link in the comments and let me know.
You can view other recipes on Common Sense Homesteading by typing “recipes” in the search box on the sidebar.
Fresh Bites Friday for May 20, 2011 at Real Food Whole Health,
Heart and Soul Hop (49) at a Moderate Life,
and
I just found your site today, through a link on Kitchen Stewardship. I've already subscribed to your blog. Thanks for the excellent tips!
http://barefeetinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/05/chicken-and-black-bean-enchiladas-with.html
Thanks, and thanks for sharing your recipe.
Oh my goodness…this looks sooooo yummy!!! For some reason fried chicken makes me nervous. I tried making it once and apparently I didn't cook it all the way through…ever since then…I am so leary about trying it again. You have given me hope. Thank you!
shelby – I've only fried chicken on the stop top once. My husband and I made a buttermilk chicken recipe and fried it in lard. It was tasty, but much messier and more fuss than this. I could only fit so many pieces in the pan at one time, and hubby had to stand over the stove the whole time. (I was making french fries next to him in grassfed beef tallow. It was "deep fried goodness" night.)
By comparison, this is a little messy, but once you put them in the oven you're done until it's time to serve. We served this at hundreds of gatherings, and it always drew compliments.
Good luck! If you give it a try, please stop back and let me know how it worked out.
yes mum's the best (: once i get back to singapore for summer, i'm going to grill her for all her recipes!
http://mummyicancook.blogspot.com/2011/01/pork-trotters-with-vinegar.html
I bet your mom's recipe is much different than mine, but still delicious. Get those recipes while you can – time passes too quickly.
I'm drooling on my keyboard, ooh weeeee! Can't wait to fry up some of this chicken in my Griswold No. 8 cast iron pan!
There you go! Cook it like you mean it!